TEA: Derbyshire victory charge is held up

Nigel Gardner

A combination of defiant batting and dropped catches held up Derbyshire’s victory charge on the final afternoon of the Division Two match against Northamptonshire at Derby.

The game looked to be heading for an early finish when David Willey and Steven Crook fell to Simon Elstone’s off-spin shortly after lunch but Rob Keogh and Josh Cobb batted for 22 overs to hold up Derbyshire.

Northants were sliding to defeat at 182 for 7 chasing an improbable target of 427 but Keogh completed his second century in three innings and Cobb made 43 despite hurting his right hand early in his innings.

Cobb was dropped on 24 and 33 and Keogh was missed on 114 before Ben Cotton finally had Cobb caught down the legside but at tea Northants were 118 away from victory on 309 for 8 although skipper Alex Wakely’s damaged hand means he is unlikely to bat.